Submitted by Bruna Rodrigues (bruna92rodrigues@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-10-04T14:34:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseSEAC.pdf: 3684768 bytes, checksum: a136420f3341c6db3a9b1a868c33424a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-14T14:23:42Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseSEAC.pdf: 3684768 bytes, checksum: a136420f3341c6db3a9b1a868c33424a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-14T14:23:53Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseSEAC.pdf: 3684768 bytes, checksum: a136420f3341c6db3a9b1a868c33424a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-14T14:24:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseSEAC.pdf: 3684768 bytes, checksum: a136420f3341c6db3a9b1a868c33424a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-04-29 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / The purpose of this thesis was to analyze the emergence of industrial practices of PET recycling in Brazil. A predominantly qualitative research based on the principles of reflexive sociology proposed by Pierre Bourdieu was developed. Theoretical tools proposed by this author were combined with the ones of the Strategic Action Fields approach and with insights of the pragmatic sociology of critique. Primary and secondary data were collected, analyzed and articulated in the historical narrative presented here. We argue that the configuration of this market was conditioned by moral aspects associated with the emergence of the environmentalism and also by structural aspects of Brazilian society. The joint operation of these macro structures explained the rise of the "Brazilian model of recycling", based on a compromise between economic and environmental objectives, usually embraced by recycling, and the pursuit of "social inclusion" of recyclable material collectors, who traditionally accept working in the informal waste collection and constitute the foundations of recycling chains in the country. The dynamics of soft drinks and municipal solid waste management sectors was also influenced decisively the emergence and expansion of PET recycling practices. These practices appeared mainly in the textile, in the paint and resins and PET industries as part of the strategies of the companies to reduce costs. We found that companies tend to use more intensely moral justifications associated with recycling in periods of instability. Additionally to the practical understanding about this recycling market, this study helped to build connections between influential contemporary sociological approaches of organizational studies and economic sociology and offered novel ways to use their theoretical tools in empirical research. We highlight the contribution to understanding the connections between social and moral structures and to make sense of the dynamics relationships of multiple fields / O objetivo da pesquisa foi analisar a emergência das práticas industriais de reciclagem de PET no Brasil. Realizamos uma pesquisa predominantemente qualitativa com base nos princípios da sociologia reflexiva propostos por Pierre Bourdieu. Combinando as ferramentas teóricas relacionais propostas por esse autor, com as das abordagens dos Campos da Ação Estratégica e da sociologia pragmática da crítica, dados primários e secundários foram levantados, analisados e articulados na narrativa histórica aqui apresentada. Argumentamos que a construção desse mercado é condicionada tanto por aspectos morais associados ao surgimento do que é conhecido como ambientalismo quanto por aspectos estruturais da sociedade brasileira que influenciam decisivamente sua configuração. A operação conjunta desses mecanismos é que possibilita explicar a ascensão do chamado “modelo brasileiro de reciclagem”, baseado em um compromisso entre objetivos econômicos e ambientais, que, em geral, estão abarcados na reciclagem, e a busca pela “inclusão social” dos catadores de materiais recicláveis, tradicionalmente “dispostos” a trabalhar com a coleta informal dos resíduos e que formam a base das cadeias de reciclagem no país. As dinâmicas da indústria de refrigerantes e do setor de gestão de resíduos sólidos municipais também influenciaram decisivamente o surgimento e expansão das práticas de reciclagem, que passaram a ocorrer, sobretudo, nas indústrias têxtil, de tintas e resinas e do PET como parte das estratégias das empresas para reduzir custos. Verificamos que essas empresas tendem a se utilizar mais intensamente das justificativas morais associadas à reciclagem em períodos de instabilidade dos seus referidos campos. Além da compreensão prática dos mercados de reciclagem, o estudo revelou conexões entre as estruturas sociais e as estruturas ideais e possibilitou a compreensão da dinâmica da relação entre campos.

O tema de pesquisa desta investigação é a expansão do ensino superior público. O estudo analisou de que modo a adesão ao Sistema UAB fragiliza os princípios da administração pública e de autonomia de uma IFES. A investigação baseou-se no referencial teórico da teoria da contingência estrutural e seus conceitos-chave: estrutura organizacional, diferenciação estrutural e fator contingencial. A pesquisa buscou, ainda, elementos teóricos para caracterizar o caráter público e autônomo de uma IFES para contrastar com a configuração demandada pelo Estado Gerencial. Como estratégia de pesquisa, utilizou-se o estudo do caso de adesão ao Sistema UAB pela UFRGS e seus cursos PNAP. Os dados foram coletados em documentos e entrevistas e analisados sob a perspectiva da análise interpretativa. Nesta pesquisa, constatou-se que o MEC adotou o contrato como estratégia para expansão de vagas na modalidade EaD, configurando um ambiente de dependência de recursos para o ensino a distância. Com efeito, a UFRGS foi forçada a adotar a estratégia de captação de recursos, empreendida pela ação de adesão ao Sistema UAB, que resultou na ampliação significativa do seu número de vagas no ensino de graduação e de especializações lato sensu. Essa expansão organizacional foi viabilizada pela intensificação do trabalho dos seus servidores e pelas contratações temporárias de vínculo precário, visto que houve um número pouco significativo de vagas de provimento efetivo por meio de concurso público. Os cursos do Sistema UAB são ofertados pela UFRGS em regime de alternância de períodos, divergindo do seu ensino ofertado regular e continuamente nos semestres letivos. O contrato fez emergir na UFRGS características das organizações sociais, conforme idealizava a proposta gerencial de Reforma do Aparelho do Estado, fragilizando os princípios da administração pública. Ao mesmo tempo, foi possível observar que o Sistema UAB pode ter efeitos positivos para a UFRGS e para a sociedade por duas razões principais: por incentivar a oferta de educação a distância – com potencial para atender comunidades longínquas – e devido à gratuidade de cursos em todos os níveis de ensino, especialmente nas pósgraduações lato sensu cuja prática vem se rarefazendo. Não obstante, observa-se também que, em razão do modo pelo qual vem se implantando nas IFES, o Estado passou de uma condição de mantenedor para uma condição de formulador dos objetivos, os quais são concebidos fora dos espaços institucionais da Universidade, fragilizando, desse modo, o princípio da autonomia. / The research topic of this research is the expansion of public higher education. The study analyzed the way of the adherence to Sistema UAB weakens the principles of public administration and autonomy from a IFES. The research was based on the theoretical framework of structural contingency theory and its key concepts: organizational structure, structural differentiation and contingency factor. The survey also brought to characterize the theoretical elements and autonomous public character of an IFES to contrast with the configuration demanded by the Managerial State. As a research strategy, we used the case study of adherence to Sistema UAB by the UFRGS and their courses PNAP. Data were collected from documents and interviews and analyzed from the perspective of interpretive analysis. In this research, it was found that the MEC has adopted the contract as a strategy to increase in enrollment in distance education mode by configuring an environment of resource dependence for distance learning. Indeed, UFRGS was forced to adopt the strategy of fundraising undertaken by the action of joining the Sistema UAB, which resulted in significant expansion of its number of seats in undergraduate courses and specializations lato sensu. This organizational expansion was made possible by intensifying work of its employees and the temporary hiring of precarious work, since there was not a substantial number of vacancies effective provision through public tender. The courses are offered by the UFRGS at Sistema UAB under the alternation of periods, diverging from their regular teaching and continually offered in semesters. The contract did emerge at UFRGS features of social organizations, as idealized managerial proposal for Reforming the State, undermining the principles of public administration. At the same time, was observed that the Sistema UAB can have positive effects for the UFRGS and society in general for two main reasons: to encourage the provision of distance education - with the potential to serve remote communities - and gratuitousness of courses at all levels of education, especially in postgraduate courses broad sense in which this practice has been thinning. Nevertheless, it is also observed that, because of the way has been deploying the IFES, the state passed a condition maintainer for a condition formulator of objectives, which are designed outside the institutional spaces of the University, weakening thereby the principle of autonomy.

O tema de pesquisa desta investigação é a expansão do ensino superior público. O estudo analisou de que modo a adesão ao Sistema UAB fragiliza os princípios da administração pública e de autonomia de uma IFES. A investigação baseou-se no referencial teórico da teoria da contingência estrutural e seus conceitos-chave: estrutura organizacional, diferenciação estrutural e fator contingencial. A pesquisa buscou, ainda, elementos teóricos para caracterizar o caráter público e autônomo de uma IFES para contrastar com a configuração demandada pelo Estado Gerencial. Como estratégia de pesquisa, utilizou-se o estudo do caso de adesão ao Sistema UAB pela UFRGS e seus cursos PNAP. Os dados foram coletados em documentos e entrevistas e analisados sob a perspectiva da análise interpretativa. Nesta pesquisa, constatou-se que o MEC adotou o contrato como estratégia para expansão de vagas na modalidade EaD, configurando um ambiente de dependência de recursos para o ensino a distância. Com efeito, a UFRGS foi forçada a adotar a estratégia de captação de recursos, empreendida pela ação de adesão ao Sistema UAB, que resultou na ampliação significativa do seu número de vagas no ensino de graduação e de especializações lato sensu. Essa expansão organizacional foi viabilizada pela intensificação do trabalho dos seus servidores e pelas contratações temporárias de vínculo precário, visto que houve um número pouco significativo de vagas de provimento efetivo por meio de concurso público. Os cursos do Sistema UAB são ofertados pela UFRGS em regime de alternância de períodos, divergindo do seu ensino ofertado regular e continuamente nos semestres letivos. O contrato fez emergir na UFRGS características das organizações sociais, conforme idealizava a proposta gerencial de Reforma do Aparelho do Estado, fragilizando os princípios da administração pública. Ao mesmo tempo, foi possível observar que o Sistema UAB pode ter efeitos positivos para a UFRGS e para a sociedade por duas razões principais: por incentivar a oferta de educação a distância – com potencial para atender comunidades longínquas – e devido à gratuidade de cursos em todos os níveis de ensino, especialmente nas pósgraduações lato sensu cuja prática vem se rarefazendo. Não obstante, observa-se também que, em razão do modo pelo qual vem se implantando nas IFES, o Estado passou de uma condição de mantenedor para uma condição de formulador dos objetivos, os quais são concebidos fora dos espaços institucionais da Universidade, fragilizando, desse modo, o princípio da autonomia. / The research topic of this research is the expansion of public higher education. The study analyzed the way of the adherence to Sistema UAB weakens the principles of public administration and autonomy from a IFES. The research was based on the theoretical framework of structural contingency theory and its key concepts: organizational structure, structural differentiation and contingency factor. The survey also brought to characterize the theoretical elements and autonomous public character of an IFES to contrast with the configuration demanded by the Managerial State. As a research strategy, we used the case study of adherence to Sistema UAB by the UFRGS and their courses PNAP. Data were collected from documents and interviews and analyzed from the perspective of interpretive analysis. In this research, it was found that the MEC has adopted the contract as a strategy to increase in enrollment in distance education mode by configuring an environment of resource dependence for distance learning. Indeed, UFRGS was forced to adopt the strategy of fundraising undertaken by the action of joining the Sistema UAB, which resulted in significant expansion of its number of seats in undergraduate courses and specializations lato sensu. This organizational expansion was made possible by intensifying work of its employees and the temporary hiring of precarious work, since there was not a substantial number of vacancies effective provision through public tender. The courses are offered by the UFRGS at Sistema UAB under the alternation of periods, diverging from their regular teaching and continually offered in semesters. The contract did emerge at UFRGS features of social organizations, as idealized managerial proposal for Reforming the State, undermining the principles of public administration. At the same time, was observed that the Sistema UAB can have positive effects for the UFRGS and society in general for two main reasons: to encourage the provision of distance education - with the potential to serve remote communities - and gratuitousness of courses at all levels of education, especially in postgraduate courses broad sense in which this practice has been thinning. Nevertheless, it is also observed that, because of the way has been deploying the IFES, the state passed a condition maintainer for a condition formulator of objectives, which are designed outside the institutional spaces of the University, weakening thereby the principle of autonomy.

A gestao escolar democratica e tida como elemento imprescindivel a qualidade do ensino por varios autores e profissionais da educacao. Entretanto, ha tambem por parte deles o reconhecimento da enorme distancia entre um ideal democratico de administracao escolar e a realidade, especialmente neste caso, a brasileira. Tendo em vista a notoria relevância desse tema para o cenario nacional de educacao e ensino, este estudo teve por objetivo analisar essa dimensao da qualidade a partir do estudo de caso na Escola Municipal de Educacao Basica Alfredo Naime, do municipio de Bebedouro, a qual passou pelos processos de avaliacao propostos no INDIQUE (2009), elaborados pela parceria entre: Acao Educativa, UNICEF, PNUD, INEP e MEC, os quais correspondiam cientifica e metodologicamente aos anseios desta pesquisa. Para a analise foram utilizadas informacoes do Plano Gestor da escola e principalmente do relatorio gerado pelo processo do INDIQUE na escola. Tambem foram feitos acompanhamentos de atividades escolares assim como entrevistas semi-estruturadas e nao-estruturadas a todos os principais atores da instituicao de ensino (alunos, pais, professores, gestores e funcionarios) a fim de colher opinioes e perspectivas dos entrevistados sobre o tema. Concluiu-se que, apesar de restricoes principalmente externas, mas tambem internas, a uma gestao escolar democratica, os atores escolares da EMEB Alfredo Naime mostraram que rumam a uma gestao democratizante. A outra principal conclusao diz respeito ao INDIQUE, que se mostrou um rico instrumento de avaliacao coletiva efetivamente democratico e contribuidor para a escola em diversas dimensoes educacionais. / The democratic school management is seen as an indispensable element of educational quality by several authors and education professionals. However, they also recognize the enormous gap between a democratic ideal and the reality of school administration, especially in this case, the Brazilian situation. Given the evident importance of this issue to the national arena of education and teaching, this study aimed to analyze this dimension of quality from the case study at the Municipal School of Basic Education Alfredo Naime, from the city of Bebedouro, which has passed by the assessment procedures proposed in the INDIQUE (2009), prepared by the partnership: Educational Action, UNICEF, UNDP, INEP and MEC, which corresponded to the scientifically and methodologically perspectives of this research. For the analysis were used information of the Plan Manager of the school and especially the report generated by the Educational Quality Indicators process in the school. Were also made follow-school activities as well as semi-structured and unstructured interviews to all major actors from the school (students, parents, teachers, managers and employees) in order to collect opinions and perspectives of those interviewed on the subject. It was concluded that, despite restrictions mainly external, but internal too, to a democratic school management, the school actors of Municipal School Alfredo Naime showed that tend to a democratizing management. The other main finding relates to Educational Quality Indicators, that proved to be a rich collective assessment tool, effectively democratic and contributor to the school in various dimensions of education.

This thesis examines the roles played by digital information and communication technologies in a Swedish public library’s three-year long renovation project. As a case study of technology-influenced collaboration in a cultural heritage institution, this study addresses a gap in digital humanities research on the practical details of sociotechnical collaboration, as well as a lack of documentation of an ongoing trend of renovations and rebuildings of Swedish public libraries.  A large number of internal materials produced at the library during the course of its renovations was studied, and semi-structured qualitative interviews with three of the cultural heritage workers involved were conducted. Reading these materials with an actor-network theory approach, an account was constructed of the renovation project and the usages therein of digital technologies, in order to examine these technologies as actors and their effects on the project. It was found that, throughout the project, information and communication technologies were used to think, plan, organize, discuss, and make decisions about the work, that limitations and affordances of these technologies shaped how they could be used, and that this thus had effects on the project. Digital technologies are shown to have been active and agential, and avenues for future research are suggested.

The research problem that this study sought to address stemmed from a lack of knowledge about South African organizations and a dearth of empirical, quantitative research into organizations, organization structure and organization climate in this country. Five research hypotheses were formulated to address this problem and its attendant subpriJblems. A comprehensive review of the related literature and research was c~trried out and Organization Theory was traced to its earliest beginnings. A number of schools hased on Max Weber's bureaucratic ideal type were described and contrasted. Much attention was paid to the work of the Aston group m the United Kingdom and to their efforts to operationalize Weberian concepts and to incorporate them into a replicable body of quantitative research. Points of departure were re-examined and some new twists to Systems Theory and Structural Functionalism were considered. It was established that the demographic characteristics of both the sample and the population were similar enough for the results of this study to be generalised to the population with some degree of confidence. Much care was taken to test and validate each of the scales that comprised the questionnaire, and item analyses and factor analyses were carried out for every variable and group of variables. The measures developed in other parts of the world and by other researchers performed very well in a South African setting - as did the measures developed specifically for this study. Statistical associations and causal relationships between the various sets of variables, both at the sector level and at individual industry subgroup level, were sought by means of multiple regression analyses. Broad support was found for a 'culture-free hypothesis' that there are a number of stable relationships between organizations and their context; and these relationships will be constant in direction and strength regardless of differences in structures, or in contexts of structures between societies. Importantly, there were also a number of significant differences between this study and the findings of other studies which reflected South Africa's unique blend of developed and developing cultures and value systems. These differences provide fertile ground for future research in the field of Organization Theory. / Business Management / DBL

The research problem that this study sought to address stemmed from a lack of knowledge about South African organizations and a dearth of empirical, quantitative research into organizations, organization structure and organization climate in this country. Five research hypotheses were formulated to address this problem and its attendant subpriJblems. A comprehensive review of the related literature and research was c~trried out and Organization Theory was traced to its earliest beginnings. A number of schools hased on Max Weber's bureaucratic ideal type were described and contrasted. Much attention was paid to the work of the Aston group m the United Kingdom and to their efforts to operationalize Weberian concepts and to incorporate them into a replicable body of quantitative research. Points of departure were re-examined and some new twists to Systems Theory and Structural Functionalism were considered. It was established that the demographic characteristics of both the sample and the population were similar enough for the results of this study to be generalised to the population with some degree of confidence. Much care was taken to test and validate each of the scales that comprised the questionnaire, and item analyses and factor analyses were carried out for every variable and group of variables. The measures developed in other parts of the world and by other researchers performed very well in a South African setting - as did the measures developed specifically for this study. Statistical associations and causal relationships between the various sets of variables, both at the sector level and at individual industry subgroup level, were sought by means of multiple regression analyses. Broad support was found for a 'culture-free hypothesis' that there are a number of stable relationships between organizations and their context; and these relationships will be constant in direction and strength regardless of differences in structures, or in contexts of structures between societies. Importantly, there were also a number of significant differences between this study and the findings of other studies which reflected South Africa's unique blend of developed and developing cultures and value systems. These differences provide fertile ground for future research in the field of Organization Theory. / Business Management / DBL

Thèse réalisée en cotutelle entre le Département de communication de l'Université de Montréal (sous la direction de François Cooren)et le Centre de sociologie des organisation de Sciences Po Paris (Institut d'études politiques de Paris; sous la direction de Bruno Latour). / Comment une organisation peut-elle agir ? Peut-elle être considérée comme un acteur en elle-même ou nécessite-t-elle que d’autres agissent pour elle ? Comment parler de son action sans présumer son existence ? Je voudrais proposer ici une approche proprement communicationnelle à la question de l’action organisationnelle. M’appuyant sur la narratologie de A. J. Greimas pour rendre apparentes certaines des idées centrales de la philosophie de l’individuation, je montre que l’organisation – et tout être social – agit en se faisant attribuer des actions. La philosophie de l’individuation est nécessaire ici pour dériver une théorie de l’action organisationnelle à partir de la manière même dont se constituent les organisations. Cela me permet notamment d’affirmer que l’organisation participe aussi elle-même à ces pratiques d’attribution, car en tant qu’elle existe déjà « plus ou moins et d’une certaine manière », elle appelle des actions particulières. À travers l’imbrication de mandats et de programmes d’actions, dans une logique d’appropriation/attribution, l’organisation peut effectivement agir tout en comptant toujours sur d’autres pour le faire. Nul besoin de s’en remettre à une ontologie essentialiste de l’organisation pour affirmer qu’elle agit elle-même, car il n’y a pas d’opposition entre affirmer que l’organisation agit et que d’autres agissent pour elle. En fait, loin de s’opposer, ces deux affirmations s’impliquent mutuellement. Les pratiques d’attribution sont nécessaires pour agir légitimement – il faut toujours agir pour autre que soi – mais aussi pour agir tout court, car la logique même de la propriété d’action, donc de pouvoir dire que ceci est mon action, suppose que l’action ne soit jamais tout à fait mienne. Les conséquences de cette proposition sur les questions de pouvoir et d’éthique sont brièvement abordées. En observant quatre terrains distincts, j’ancre cette proposition théorique dans l’empirique. Ces terrains sont une association de locataires, un projet de réforme d’un grand établissement d’enseignement français, quelques événements dans la vie d’un gestionnaire de gratte-ciel de New York et une réunion entre des représentants de Médecins sans frontières et des administrateurs de santé congolais. Compte tenu de la nature théorique de ma proposition, cette variété de terrains permet de montrer l’utilité de ces idées à l’étude d’une diversité de situations. / How can an organization act? Can it be considered as an actor in itself or does it need others to act on its behalf? How is it possible to address these questions without presupposing the organization? I would like to put forward a specifically communicational approach to the question of organizational action. Borrowing from A. J. Greimas’ narratology to make salient some of individuation philosophy’s most central ideas, I show that the organization – and any ‘social’ being – acts by being attributed actions. Individuation philosophy is necessary to derive a theory of organizational action from the very manner organizations are constituted. This allows me, among other things, to suggest that organizations themselves also play a part in attribution practices, for inasmuch as they exist “more or less and in a certain way”, they call for further actions. Through the imbrication of mandates and of programs of actions, in a logic of appropriation/attribution, the organization can act by always relying on others to do so. There is no need to invoke an essentialist ontology of organization to state that it acts by itself, for there is no opposition between stating that the organization acts and that others act for it. In fact, far from opposing, both statements imply each other. Practices of attribution are necessary for legitimate action – I must always act for someone other than myself – but also for acting at all. In other words, to be able to say that this is my action, I need this action not to be entirely my own. The consequences of this proposal on questions of power and ethics are also briefly considered. I provide my theoretical discussion with a firm empirical grounding through the study of four different fields. I analyse audio and video recordings from a tenants association, the reform project of a French higher education institution, events from the daily work of a New York skyscraper manager and a meeting between Doctors without border representatives and Congolese health administrators. Given the theoretical nature of my proposal, this variety of empirical data allows me to show the usefulness of those ideas to the study of a large array of situations.

<p>Becoming global – the troublesome integration process.</p><p>The thesis is based on research in Kongsberg Automotive and its foreign subsidiaries in Mexico, U.S.A, Poland and South Korea. It is a study of how these foreign units were established and how the head office in Norway was able to integrate these units in the organization.</p><p>The purpose of the study is to improve understanding of the challenges involved in internationalization processes. To what extent are cultural, political and social differences factors to consider when creating the international organization? In what way do actors and structures influence the process and the practices that emerge?</p><p>In an international organization cultural, political and social differences may create barriers towards understanding the other. This may be further complicated by different languages, time and geographical distances. The local manager abroad is central to the development of relations between the head office and the local unit and his perception of what is appropriate and his ability to make others agree is central to understanding the various practices and solutions that emerge in the local organization.</p><p>The main motivation and challenge of the central management is to control and coordinate the international organization. The study emphasizes the usefulness of different control mechanisms and how these attempts for control were perceived locally. Through time there was a stronger reliance on mechanisms for socialization and enculturation, and while these are directed towards creating a larger consensus in the organization, these should also be seen as means for decentralized control and self-monitoring.</p><p>The various organizational entities in Kongsberg Automotive represent different communities-of-practice and to understand the interaction between these communities as learning processes is central to the study. This perspective also confers an understanding of power as a productive element in the interaction.</p><p>The implications of this study for theory and future research are in embracing the complex nature of internationalization process. Relevant for understanding internationalization processes are both actors and structures intertwined. Institutional environments are central to an understanding of how different actors perceive practices and structures, and what they see as viable solutions. Neither the international organization nor the learning processes these undertake can be torn loose from the local cultural, political and social context.</p>

Becoming global – the troublesome integration process. The thesis is based on research in Kongsberg Automotive and its foreign subsidiaries in Mexico, U.S.A, Poland and South Korea. It is a study of how these foreign units were established and how the head office in Norway was able to integrate these units in the organization. The purpose of the study is to improve understanding of the challenges involved in internationalization processes. To what extent are cultural, political and social differences factors to consider when creating the international organization? In what way do actors and structures influence the process and the practices that emerge? In an international organization cultural, political and social differences may create barriers towards understanding the other. This may be further complicated by different languages, time and geographical distances. The local manager abroad is central to the development of relations between the head office and the local unit and his perception of what is appropriate and his ability to make others agree is central to understanding the various practices and solutions that emerge in the local organization. The main motivation and challenge of the central management is to control and coordinate the international organization. The study emphasizes the usefulness of different control mechanisms and how these attempts for control were perceived locally. Through time there was a stronger reliance on mechanisms for socialization and enculturation, and while these are directed towards creating a larger consensus in the organization, these should also be seen as means for decentralized control and self-monitoring. The various organizational entities in Kongsberg Automotive represent different communities-of-practice and to understand the interaction between these communities as learning processes is central to the study. This perspective also confers an understanding of power as a productive element in the interaction. The implications of this study for theory and future research are in embracing the complex nature of internationalization process. Relevant for understanding internationalization processes are both actors and structures intertwined. Institutional environments are central to an understanding of how different actors perceive practices and structures, and what they see as viable solutions. Neither the international organization nor the learning processes these undertake can be torn loose from the local cultural, political and social context.